LIFE ON THE SEASHORE 



297 



American Museum of Natural History 



Would you expect to find any living things in the area shown in the left-hand 



picture ? If so, what plants and animals ? Where would they be found ? Where 



would you expect to find the animals shown in the right-hand picture ? To what 



groups of animals and plants do they belong ? 



they are extended, they look like great red, brown, or 

 yellow chrysanthemums. When touched, they close up, 

 pull in their colored tentacles, and look like a lump of dull- 

 colored mud. Tidal pools are rich finds, and one can watch 

 the living creatures there by the hour, discovering new 

 forms of life at every turn. Small fish, several species of 

 crabs and other crustaceans, tube-building worms, dense 

 masses of tiny animals that are close relations to the sea 

 anemone as well as numerous varieties of starfish and sea 

 urchins are likely to inhabit most tidal pools. Why not 

 make a list of all the forms found in a single pool as a 

 project or report ? 



Along a rocky shore many interesting new forms will be 

 found by turning over flat stones. Here beautiful leaf- 

 like flat worms are often found. These can be put into 

 a jar of salt water, where they will swim with a slow un- 

 dulating motion. Beautifully colored naked mollusks with 

 projecting gills are sometimes found. Of course, the rocks 

 are covered with delicate red, brown, and yellow seaweeds. 



